Previewing Dallas: Burish good to go and says it’ll be full speed ahead, Stalock geting third start in six games

SAN JOSE — They appear to be having technical difficulties in the home office, so I’ll quickly post a copy here of the online story I just filed.

Of the injured Sharks whom we mentioned yesterday, looks like Adam Burish is the only one who will be back in the lineup tonight against his more recent former team, the Dallas Stars. Todd McLellan said Tyler Kennedy suffered a little setback and Jason Demers needs a little more time. Oh, and Alex Stalock gets his third start in six games.

Here’s the story:

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SAN JOSE – Barring the unforeseen, the Sharks will have forward Adam Burish in the lineup for the first time all season when they face the Dallas Stars on Wednesday night.

Burish injured his back in the exhibition opener last September, then underwent surgery for a herniated disc. He said it was important to him to get back in action before the 20-day Olympic break that begins Saturday.

“It’s a feel-good for me that I put the work in and I’m ready,” said Burish, who is expected to be on the fourth line with Andrew Desjardins and Mike Brown. “I want to get a couple games in and I guess some of it is that peace of mind, that I did it.”

Burish, who is in the second year of his four-year contract, struggled at times last season with only three points in 46 games, then finished strong in the playoffs. Coach Todd McLellan suggested that his less-than-ideal play makes Burish even hungrier now, and he didn’t disagree.

“Going into this year I was hungry. I wasn’t happy with the way the year went last year,” Burish said. “Then getting injured in the first preseason game and having to watch the first 50-something games, there’s a lot of hunger there.”

Burish said he doesn’t plan to ease into the game, but will try to bring the high energy and passion that have characterized his playing style.

“I’m not going to come in here and light the world on fire and be somebody I’m not,” he said. “I’m just going to do the things I’ve always done here, what the guys expect of me.”

Backup goalie Alex Stalock will be in goal for the Sharks against Dallas, he third start in the past six games.

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McLellan said forward Tyler Kennedy suffered a slight setback in his recovery from a lower body injury and isn’t ready to play. Defenseman Jason Demers will sit out a third game with a groin pull.

****One thing to add here. The always-quotable Burish had interesting takes on both what he missed most about not playing as well as the problem with listening to his mother’s advice.

“You know, when you’re out, it may sound weird, but one thing I always miss is hurting. You miss that time after a game when yuou’re exhausted and your foot hurts from blocking a shot and you’ve got a cut on your face,” Burish said.

“Yeah, you miss the crowd, you miss trying to score a goal, you miss making a play, you miss trying to kill a penalty, all those things. But I miss hurting – that pain, that exhaustion after a game when you know you just gave all you got for the guys next to you.”

Burish brought up his mother when he was asked if he’d be coming back at full speed.

“Nah, I’m not really good at that,” he said. “Trainers kind of say you’re going to ease your way into it. Don’t tell me that. Anything I do, I don’t ease into much. That first shift I’m going all out.

“My mom’s in my ear, ‘take it easy, you’ve got a bad back.’ I’m not taking it easy. I’m going out there and it’s on,” he continued. “I don’t think you win (taking it easy), I don’t think you help anybody like that. I’m sure not going to go easy stickhandling through everybody nice and slow. It’s all out 100 percent. I’m not holding anything back.”

****McLellan wasn’t ready to let go of his team’s most recent game, that 5-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. Asked what it would take to help the offensively challenged
Sharks find success against a tight defensive-minded Dallas team that is 5-1-1 in its last seven starts, here’s what the Sharks coach had to say:

“The first decision we have to make is whether … we want to work because we didn’t make that decision against Philly,” he said. “I know it’s a different day and a new opponent, but until that decision’s made and we decide we all want to compete together for a full 60, it really doesn’t matter what else we have as far as game plan goes.”

****Couple deals with the Minnesota Wild involving minor league players. First, the Sharks pick up Chad Rau for Curt Gogol, then they traded Riley Brace to the Iowa Wild.

David Pollak

David Pollak has been following the NHL forever and at the Mercury News as an editor or reporter since 1987. For almost a decade he wrote about the Sharks as the paper's Fan in the Stands before joining the sports department in 2001. He became the Sharks beat writer before the 2007-08 season and began this blog at that time. You can also follow him on Twitter at @PollakOnSharks.

Yep, will be a challenge. Dallas is another non PO team that has had recent success. Oilers and Flames each had some recent wins when Sharks played them. Now Dallas, who is playing desperate to gain that PO spot since they actually have a chance. Should be a good challenge for Sharks to win as well as shake off the ugliness of Monday.

Tom (fm Quinzee)

Thanks, DP. As for TMac’s saying “The first decision we have to make is whether … we want to work because we didn’t make that decision against Philly,…” From a philosophical standpoint, when you don’t make the decision on one side of an issue, i.e., working hard, you de facto make the decision on the other side, i.e., NOT working hard.

Tom (fm Quinzee)

I interpret the “awesome” being in relation to Burish? I love his attitude, agree w/ him about “all out 100%,” etc. But we need the Burish we saw in the playoffs, not that guy who was spotty during the regular season.

renoshark

Yep. Two teams we really don’t want to play right now are Dallas and Columbus. It’s imperative we salvage this homestand before the Olympic break but it won’t be easy.

Clemenza

Thanks, Mr. P.

Welcome back, Adam! Let’s see you bring the lumber tonight!!

renoshark

We need the Burish we played against in Dallas and the Burish we saw in the playoffs. I’d be fine with that one.

GP_hockeyhappens

Yes, partly. I like Burish. Was a disappointing reg season and he got it during the POs.

I was also happy for a new post. I like the last thread. But, it was difficult and awkward to build discussions from it.

Back to Adam, he’s the kind of guy that will say something in a positive way about how badly the game was played Monday. Kinda like a guilt trip without the coaches stare. And the idea that hey, he didn’t work so hard to get back in the line up to play like a bad minor league team.

Phat Stat Phil

It’s official. Stamkos isn’t going to be able to go to Sochi.

Alex

1) I personally don’t think a lot of Sharks fans were missing Adam Burish.
2) Arguably 2 best teams in the league are playing in Anaheim tonight and which game is NBC showing? That’s right, powerhouse Buffalo Sabres hosting Pittsburgh. I suspect a memo was received by NBC that #87 has not been getting enough exposure lately on the Crosby Channel.
But to be serious for a second here, the Ducks and the Blackhawks are playing each other and you are going to show us Buffalo?!! Really?

Alex

Source?

renoshark

Adam Burish will be fine if he plays like he did as a Star. He’s just one of a number of guys the Sharks have acquired over the years that got off to a slow start in SJ. We need to reverse that trend at some point.

renoshark

Does St. LOU-EEE get the call to replace him?

Buddy Elf

nhl.com, tsn.ca, ESPN…

Buddy Elf

he probably wont be that right out of the gate after being sidelined by an injury for many months.

Tom (fm Quinzee)

It’s all about ratings. The East Coast game will be aired. Could the League force the Ducks to re-schedule the game to a 4:30 or 5:00 pm face-off? Not happening.

As for Burish, as a number of us have said, if we get the guy we saw in the playoffs, or Reno’s Dallas guy, we need that. That was not a “Worcester West” guy, that was an NHL forward.

Alex

They could have moved the game to an earlier time, like you said, or shown it on NHL Network.

Beer League Rocks

NBCSN=nothing but Crosby sports network. It gets very tiresome.

Beer League Rocks

I hope so. He deserves the opportunity.

GP_hockeyhappens

2 thoughts on this:

-the Ducks-Hawks, is a 10 pm eastern game time. Coulda been a double header, but, only die-hards are going to be affecting the ratings anyway. Still is a shame it isn’t available nationally.

-This just might be Ryan Miller’s last home game in Buffalo. NBC gets 2 for 1 because whiny face crosby is in the game.

Beer League Rocks

Glad to hear Burish is ready to play. At this point I’d guess they let Torres strengthen his knee some more and bring him back after the Olympics. Might as well do the same with the rest of them as well.

GP_hockeyhappens

Currently being speculated on by TB writer on NHLN.

GP_hockeyhappens

On #1, I don’t disagree at all. The discussion of why is important I think.

Burish, a role player that won a cup with Hawks is the first thing fans learned about him. Then, he wasn’t really catching on in the shortened regular season. People won’t miss a sub par season when the guy isn’t playing. Then, Sharks got eliminated from POs, so his upgraded performance IMO is easily set aside by fans.

Elliotte Friedman speculated that picking Stamkos — even with his injury — was a no brainer. Either he comes back and you’ve got a great goal scorer or you’ve got another month to scrutinize who should be that last member of the team.

Tom (fm Quinzee)

Not gonna disagree about that. We need Raffi.

Jeff M

Thanks DP!

Really glad to have a character guy like Burish back in the lineup.. I mean, it can’t hurt SJ right? Plus, the guy is going to be SO happy to be out there, who knows what kind of havoc he will wreak!?

Phat Stat Phil

Funny line from Elliotte Friedman’s 30 Thoughts column this week:

26. You can see why the Panthers were excited about Nick Bjugstad, whose size helped him dominate at the University of Minnesota. There were questions about doing that against NHL players. He laughed and agreed he learned some lessons the hard way. “[Douglas] Murray from Montreal,” said Bjugstad with a smile, “I tried one of my college moves on him and he put me on my [wallet]”

Haha. At least he didn’t say “Desijardins”. We’d have to worry if DP & ZEKE were the same person. ; )

GP_hockeyhappens

I finally just finished watching the Kings-Sharks game. So Apologies, but I need to close some old business with guy who got bent out of shape, and I discussed with him, because Drew said “good luck” to the LA King in the interview after the game vs the Kings, Drew remember, was working NBCSN for that game.

1) the LA King was Kopitar. I think I remember he said it was Carter that was interviewed.
2) Drew said “Congratulations and Thanks” at the end of the interview. Drew never said “good luck” which sent the guy over the edge.

The only other way Carter was interviewed was if it were the one for NHLN, where another LA King was interviewed. I don’t know who the player was. Could have been Carter. But the point is it would not have been Drew with that interview for NHLN.

So, there was a incorrect info used in that discussion… which is maddening. I might have been in a discussion with numby or the red x lying troll.

GP_hockeyhappens

So, what you’re reporting is that DW basically got a fresh box of A & H baking soda for the empty cupboards? 😉

renoshark

Providing these guys keep developing, they’ll eventually benefit SJ as well. Like I said in the prior thread and the article says, we need more offensive prospects and scoring in our system. Today was a good step in that direction. We have defense and goal tending in Worcester and addressing offensive needs is now the priority. Rau and Tarasov should be fun to watch.

GP_hockeyhappens

Yes, I made that quip solely for the making fun of benefit of the empty cupboard crowd.

Tom (fm Quinzee)

Yup – some people don’t understand the word “professionalism” – Drew was doing a network gig, not a local broadcast. And sometimes when I watch some of the NBCSN broadcasts the team doing the game will obviously be tilted towards one side or the other. I’ve said this before, but having heard a number of broadcasters in other cities in a number of sports, we’ve got pretty good people here. And just for the record, the worst homer I can remember was the “legendary” Johnny Most of the Celtics. But he could chain-smoke while on mic and never miss a beat…

renoshark

Wow, there’s a name from the past. Johnny Most=Legend.

grd22

I don’t see burish as a big deal coming back -we need couture and raffi in order to get back on track.

grd22

I didn’t mention hertle cause I really don’t think he will be ready for a return this season.

“You know, when you’re out, it may sound weird, but one thing I always miss is hurting. You miss that time after a game when yuou’re exhausted and your foot hurts from blocking a shot and you’ve got a cut on your face,” Burish said.

“Yeah, you miss the crowd, you miss trying to score a goal, you miss making a play, you miss trying to kill a penalty, all those things. But I miss hurting – that pain, that exhaustion after a game when you know you just gave all you got for the guys next to you.”

F’n gamer, that guy is…

Goals or no, I can’t wait to see him on a line with Brown.

ZEKE

I wasn’t worried 😉

ZEKE

I’ve always liked the attitude Burish brings. When he got put into the playoffs last year vs LAK, I remeber hims saying something to the effect of “I’ve been here before, I know what I’m doing”. And he played well. But he’s a marginal skill player with some rust to shake off. Still, I like that he’s getting some ice time before the break.

Be interesting to see who sits out — I think Burish and Brown are similar sorts of players — would have expected Brown to sit. Doesn’t appear that will be the case. Kearns, Hayes, Sheppard, Havlat. I’d guess Kearns because he’s also similar to Brown and Burish. But just a guess.

renoshark

Hayes is out of the picture. He was sent back down to Worcester.

LTNC

Far from the worst homer “high above courtside.”
College drinking game: have to drink everytime Johnny said something that might be obscene– “high hard one down the middle…” “stops and pops…” “tricky dribbles to the left…” It was a small rural college…

ZEKE

OK … wouldn’t have been my choice to send down, all else being equal. But its not like he was on fire. Just liked the big boy and thought it’d be worth giving him some time with Jumbo and Burns — a really big physical line.

renoshark

Our bottom 6 for tonight:

Shep/Kearns/Havlat
Brown/Desi/Burish

Matthew

Our bottom 1 for tonight

Havlat

Hockeynut

Really good start. Good presence in front of the net. But they can’t just throw the puck at the net without purpose. So far the SOG total looks good but the scoring chances don’t.

Alex

Let me ask you again: are almost at the point where we can say we have a goaltending controversy in SJ?